Home is where the heart is
by deeda
Summary: another random one shot


Apparently my muse is back and working overtime. I hope to one day complete the stories that I had started and never completed… but in the meantime I will try to keep the one shots coming. Thanks for the reviews. I still don't own CM

_**Home is where the heart is**_

It had been a chaotic morning. Henry was sick with fever and had not slept a wink the night before and because he hadn't slept his mother hadn't slept. Now finally he had fallen asleep so JJ was frantically trying to clean up the house and wash the dishes before her sick 2 year old woke up. There was no way that she could have made it to work today. She was operating like a zombie practically but the small apartment was a mess and it couldn't stay like that for another minute. The knock on the door really surprised her and she rushed to open it before the noise woke up Henry.

On opening the door she was shocked to find little Jack Hotchner on the other side. The six year old was clearly distraught as he ran straight into her arms as soon as the door opened. JJ realized very soon that he was all alone.

"Jack honey what's wrong? Where is Daddy? Or Aunt Jessica? Why aren't you at school honey?" Her questions only led the little blonde boy to sob harder into her stomach so JJ decided to drop her line of questioning and concentrate on getting the boy to calm down. She led him to the couch in her living down and sat down on it pulling the small boy onto her lap. She just held him close to her chest as he cried himself hollow whispering comforting words in his ear.

Finally after what seemed to be an hour but was possibly only about 20 mins Jack had calmed down enough to fall asleep. She gently eased him onto the couch, covered him with a blanket and then quietly eased out of the room. She grabbed her phone and quickly called Hotch.

"Hotch! Where are you?"

"JJ I am on my way to Arizona for what looks like a serial killer what is going on?"

"Hotch where is Jack?" She was almost afraid to tell him that his son was at her place now that he himself was on his way out of town for God knows how long.

"I dropped him off to school in the morning and since today is Tuesday he has soccer after school so Jessica will pick him up at 4. Contact her if you want to set up a play date with Henry although after soccer Jack is usually very very tired and goes to bed early."

"Umm Hotch actually Jack isn't in school…"

"WHAT? What are you saying JJ? Of course he is. I left him there this morning… or rather a couple of hours ago… what is going on JJ?" JJ could hear the slight strains of panic entering his voice so decided to cut to the chase and just tell him what was happening.

"I don't know what happened Hotch! All I know is that about 40 mins ago Jack showed up at my place a complete mess. He was so upset that he just grabbed me as soon as I opened the door and started crying his heart out. I couldn't get him to tell me what had happened so after he had fallen asleep I called you.."

"What? I cannot believe that he would do something like that! Run away from school.. I thought that he knew better than that!" JJ could hear that Hotch was getting upset and quickly tried to pacify him.

"Hotch you know that he wouldn't have run away unless it was something serious. He was very very upset when he came here Hotch plus he knew to come to a place where he would be safe. I am just glad that Henry was sick so I was home."

"JJ I will take the next flight back! That kid is grounded till he is 15.. what the hell was he thinking?"

"Hotch NO! You stay with the team and Jack can stay here while you are away.. Yo can talk to him when he is feeling better but till then you just be grateful that he came here as opposed to just wandering the streets. He is ok! He is safe! I will try and find out what is wrong and get back to you, ok?"

"Ok but JJ you keep me posted on whatever he says.. Every single word I want to hear it!"

"Absolutely Hotch"

"Oh and JJ… Thanks!"

"Anytime Hotch! You know that I love that boy!"

After successfully calming Hotch down JJ concentrated on the little boy sleeping on her couch, his almost tried tears still glistening on his cheeks. Her heart broke for the boy who had already seen so much in his short life. She wanted nothing more but to protect him and make sure that nothing bad ever happened to him again. A fool's wish for sure but it came from a place of pure love.

"JJ?" the small voice snapped her from her thoughts and she immediately moved to Jack's side.

"Hey honey! What is going on? Are you feeling a bit better now, baby?" she asked tenderly, not wanting to upset him anymore.

"I ranned away from school Aunt JJ! Don't tell Daddy he will get very angry!"

"Oh no baby Daddy wont get mad if you tell exactly why you ran away from school. You know that running away isn't a good things at all right honey?"

"I knowed that Aunt JJ but I ranned away coz the bad man was there and Daddy sented me to you when the bad man was there!"

"What bad man honey?" she was very alarmed to hear that Jack had seen (and recognized) a possible Unsub outside his school.

"The same bad man that took away Mommy! He was there at my school so I ranned away to you Aunt JJ. Did I do'd good?"

Her eyes quickly filled with tears as she heard Jack's reason for running away from school and more specifically why he ran to her house. He had associated her with his savior in a scary situation all because his father had handed him to her on the worst day of his life. JJ just pulled the boy closer and told him that he had done a very very good thing but he didn't need to worry about that bad man anymore because Daddy had put him away in a place that he could never get out from! Whispering these words over and over again while holding Jack Hotchner close to her heart, JJ knew that she was forever entwined in this boy's life.


End file.
